STUDENT FOCUS IN EDUCATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY THROUGH TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NORTH-EAST INDIA (Pages 45-59) by Mr. Ciby George* and Dr. K. Devan** in THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST / ISSN: 2350-1499 (Online); 2350-0751 (Print)

Quality of education is one of the decisive factors vital to sustainable socio-economic development of the nation. There has been multifaceted drive in the recent years through policy planning as well as programme implementation to bring about transformation in the quality of education. However, with an approach based on the age-old bureaucratic theory of management, implementation has been the Achilles heals in India. A paradigm shift in the management philosophy and culture is critical to the transformation of education. North-east India, with its cultural diversity yet socially integrating characteristics, has the potential to pioneer the desired transformation in the education sector in the country. Total Quality Management has been recognized as a management philosophy and approach that can inculcate quality culture into the management of education institutions. TQM has been found successful in improving quality and efficiency of educational institutions world over, however, much effort has been lacking in India. The present study has attempted to assess the principle of Student Focus, the primary principle of TQM, in higher secondary schools. It has brought out the differing perceptions of student focus existing among the primary stake-holders which ultimately has decisive effect on the quality of education. The school leadership has been found lacking in the knowledge and vision of education quality. There is a need to wholeheartedly adopt TQM as a harbinger of change in order to achieve the ambitious targets of quality education and skill development. Key Words/Phrases: Education quality, Classical Management Theories, Paradigm shift, Total Quality Management, Student Focus, Positive compatibility.